Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet conveyance apparatus for conveying a sheet and an image forming apparatus including the sheet conveyance apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a sheet conveyance apparatus, which is applicable to an image forming apparatus, used for conveying sheets has been provided with a sheet detection unit for detecting a position of a conveyed sheet. As the sheet detection unit, there is a type of the sheet detection unit in which the conveyed sheet pushes a detection member to rotate it so that the detection member blocks an optical path of a photo-interrupter.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-115255 discusses a configuration in which a rotation shaft of a detection member is rotatably supported between a pair of receiving members. The rotation shaft of the detection member is inserted into each of the opening portions formed with end portions of each of the pair of receiving members, so that the detection member is fixed between the receiving members. Each of the opening portions is set to be narrower than the diameter of the rotation shaft of the detection member to prevent the rotation shaft of the detection member from coming off. When the detection member is attached, the pair of receiving members is elastically deformed to temporarily expand each of the opening portions, and the rotation shaft of the detection member is inserted thorough each of the expanded opening portions.
However, in the configuration discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-115255, if each opening portion is temporarily expanded to attach the detection member (i.e., rotation member), there may be a following problem. Specifically, when the receiving members are elastically deformed to attach the detection member, the receiving members may be plastically deformed to change the size thereof so as to expand the portion for supporting the rotation shaft. As a result, a gap may be generated between each receiving member and the rotation shaft of the detection member, and the smooth rotation of the detection member cannot be achieved.